Chapter 21

She chuckled and pointed down the hall. “He’s in the den. You know the way.”

Yes, he definitely knew the way, and knocked when he reached the closed door. How many times had he been there to receive a lecture on what it meant to be a good elf? How to behave?

“Come in,” Santa called.

Jules straightened his shoulders and took another deep breath before turning the handle and stepping into Santa’s den.

The big guy’s eyes rounded in shock and he started to grin, but quickly furrowed his brow. “What are you doing here? Did you get kicked off Snow Hope Island?”

Jules chuckled. “No, sir. I didn’t think they had jurisdiction to do that, though.”

“They don’t,” the man huffed, smoothing the red sweater over his bulging stomach. “Did you run away?”

“No. I…sir, I came to ask you to reconsider your answer to the proposal we sent you.”

“How did you get here? I didn’t hear our sleigh leave.” He ran his fingers down his thick white beard as he narrowed his eyes.